[djbaxter]

History of this mod

1. First iteration for vB 3.5

Replace Local Links With Title
Jafo232 vBulletin 3.5 22 Aug 2007 00:10

This modification is in the archives.


2. Second iteration for vB 3.6

Replaced by:
Replace URL's With Page Title
Jafo232 vBulletin 3.6 26 Mar 2013 13:08

This modification is in the archives.


3. Third iteration for vB3.7

Updated and replaced by:
Title Tag Fetcher (Auto Replace URL with Titletag)
Mod Version: 1.5c, by exportforce
vB Version: 3.7.x
Developer Last Online: Jul 2016

exportforce commented:

Since I needed a new URL Autotext Generator, I always loved the prework of Jafo232 and his Replace URL's With Page Title. I just did some modifications on this Mod and for some forseeing mistypings, I also leaned out the checking of the "www" if given.

4. Current version (this one) for vB 4.25 and compatibility with PHP7

Show Thread Enhancements - Auto Title Tag Fetcher (Title Tag as Anchor Text) for vB 4.2.5 & PHP7
Mod Version: 2.00, by djbaxter
Developer Last Online: Jul 2017
vB Version: 4.2.5

Small changes in the code to make it compatible with 4.2.5 and PHP7. Posted in the vB4 mods forum to make it easier to find.

If any of the original coders are still active and want to update this, please do so and then this thread can be archived. However, the last login date for the most recent coder was July 2016 and I wanted to save time for others by putting the information and code modifications in one place. Full credits given below.

The code was not explicitly marked as "Reusable". However:

1. the previous versions on which exportforce based his were not reusable code either and it's not clear from his mod whether he did or did not subsstantially recode the earlier versions by Jafo232
2. exportforce has not been online for a year and may not even be still using vBulletin
3. the previous mod was broken by vBulletin 4.2.5, at least running under 4.7.1
4. no mods that accomplish this task were listed in the vB4 forums
5. I made no claim to massive code changes nor to a complete code rewrite, just to minor updates to make it compatible with 4.2.5 and PHP7
6. Full credit was given to previous versions (that can be expanded further if you wish with specific links)

For all those reasons, and for the convenience of the vBulletin 4 user base, I made the decision to post it here.

I have contacted exportforce for permission to use and update his code. I await a reply from him but if he has moved on to other software or for other reasons no longer subscribes to vBulletin.org, it may take a while or I may never get a reply.

I think the issue here is what is best for the vBulletin 4 community. I didn't post this for personal reward or glory. I posted it for the convenience of the community. I already have it working on my forums so I gain nothing personally by posting it here. I don't make a living selling vBulletin mods and the few I have posted have always been free with Reusable Code. Ineed, BOP5 took one of them and improved it with my full blessing, making my original version redundant.

So I'll leave the decision to the moderator:

What is most important in an issue like this?

1. Sticking categorically to the rules about reusable code? or
2. Serving the already dwindling vBulletin community and leaving it posted here, at least until we give exportforce the opportunity to respond to my message requesting permission to reuse?